Race you to the top! Incredible images of fearless free climber who scales mountains with just a pick axe

With just an ice-axe in his hands and crampons on his feet, this fearless climber faces death with each strike of his pick as he races to scale a 4,000ft icy rockface with no ropes to stop his fall.

The stomach-churning images show world-class mountaineer, Ueli Steck, 35, from Ringgenberg, Switzerland smashing the record for scaling the north face of the Grandes Jorasses - part of Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc.

The spectacular pictures were captured by a British extreme photographer in a helicopter 13,000ft in the air.

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The only way is ice-axe... Ueli Steck climbed the Grandes Jorasses in the Mont Blanc massif mountain range without any rope for assistance

Ueli would be facing certain death in these Alpine mountains if he lost concentration for just a moment - yet he was able to scale the sheer face made up of compacted ice and rock in just two hours and 21 minutes.

'I did this ascent because it was an important stage for me as a climber.

The technique, called free solo climbing, is reserved at this altitude for just a select handful of elite alpine climbers who have the ability and nerves of steel to face this kind of risk.

The incredible pictures also shows Ueli tackling the Ginat route of the Droites mountain, also in the French Alps where at two hours and eight minutes he gained the quickest time for his speed ascent of this 3,200ft-long route.

'This climb was an important part of my career.It's meant that I can go on to even more challenging climbs that will push me even further.

'For me, it's about looking forward to the next big climb, and not just remembering what I've achieved,' added Ueli.

On the up: Steck continues his ascent towards the top of Grandes Jorasses - part of Europe's highest mountain

Extreme photographer Jonathan Griffith, 28, from London, needed a great deal of skill to navigate the mountain - and keep up with his subject.

As well as hanging out of a flying helicopter to shoot in freezing conditions, he also found himself having to climb the mountain to get access to Steck.

'I think it's best to just offer complete confidence in the pilots at hand.

'I sat with my legs over the side of the heli on the landing rails and shot from that position.

'I've only ever shot from a helicopter twice - I far prefer being in the middle of it all and getting real gritty shots that you just can't take from a helicopter.

Mission accomplished: Steck at the top of the mountain after setting a new record

'The hardest part is simply having the skill to be there in the first place. The high mountains and big north faces are no places for your average photographer.

'You have to be a skilled climber so that you can take care of yourself and move independent of those you are shooting.

'It blows the mind how fast Ueli climbs - he sets the bar so high,' said Griffith.

Among Uelis's other climbing feats, he set a speed record for scaling the north face of the Eiger, in Switzerland - in just 2hr 47min.